Government lists 12 bills for passage this week

NEW DELHI: Encouraged by the passage of three bills in Rajya Sabha despite showdowns over contentious issues like the JNU “sedition” case, the government has listed 12 legislations in both Houses in a bid to display its businesslike intent and put the onus on Congress for any obstruction of legislative agenda.

Though bills passed by the upper House are fairly routine and some, like the election law amendment to give voting rights to new citizens of erstwhile enclaves in Bangladesh, had bipartisan support, the government has listed five bills in RS and seven in LS.

As four of the bills in Lok Sabha relate to the budget, the government does not expect any resistance to their passage. The Aadhaar bill will, however, run into some rought weather as Congress has demanded that it be scrutinised by a parliamentary committee.

But having listed it as a money bill to prevent Congress from stalling it in Rajya Sabha, government managers feel the legislation will be able to go through Lok Sabha.

The bill relating to modifying the list of Scheduled Castes in three states is also expected to go through Lok Sabha if the House is not seriously disrupted or runs out oftime.

In Rajya Sabha, in addition to consideration and return of appropriaton bills, the government has listed the Bureau of Indian Standards bill that it hopes will be passed by the House. Two other bills, the national waterway and whistleblowers protection legislations, also do not face any significant resistance. The test will lie in the House functioning. “Bills will go through as long as no provocative issue crops up,” said a government source.

So far, the government has been able to avoid repeated washouts, particularly in Rajya Sabha, as the opposition has differed on issues such as the income tax and Enforcement Directorate raids relating to the 2G scam that have put the spotlight on former finance minister P Chidambaram and his son Karti. The aggressive manner in which BJD and AIADMK raised the matter prevented Congress from rallying other parties on issues like a privilege notice against HRD minister Smriti Irani.

The prospects of another legislation, the real estate (development and regulation) bill have suddenly brightened with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi supporting the legislation which is seen to strengthen protections for home buyers against unscrupulous developers.

Currently, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied at 12 per cent on payments made for under-construction property or ready-to-move-in flats where completion certificate has not been issued at the time of sale.